CDG - How long does it take to go through customs?
 

If our plane lands on time, what time can we expect to be ready to leave the airport after we have retrieved our luggage and gone through customs? Would it take longer than two hours?

Hi amber,

It takes hardly any time to go through Immigration and Customs.

The delay is in getting your luggage.

If you count on 2 1/2 hr you won't be too disappointed.

The delay is also if several airplanes disembark at the same time. Then there could be long lines for immigration.

Just don't make any firm plans for quite a few hours until you land. The last time I flew into CDG - and this was many years ago - there was an abandoned suitcase somewhere, so we all stood around for about an extra hour, while the bomb squad came and checked it out.

It can be a long wait for the luggage, and sometimes a long wait to get through immigration, but I've never waited longer than about an hour and 15 minutes total.

Thanks for the quick replies!

My flight landed at 6:00 AM, no other planes seemed to have landed then. I was at the shuttle in a wee bit over 30 minutes after landing.

The key to the last post is "no other planes seem to have landed then..."
I'd build in at least 1 1/2 hours just to be safe.

We landed in Paris around 10:30am from our last three trips and were "out the door" in an average of 45 minutes after departing the plane. Mike

Wondering about the same thing in Rome! How long should we expect it to take to get through their customs?

Unless there is a security breach/bomb scare or the like, you should have no problems getting your luggage and clearing customs in less than 2 hours at both Paris and Rome terminals.

Other posters are right- depends on any bomb scare/security issues and if there are several other flights that land at the same time. In my experiences- it's only taken about 30-45 minutes to an hour (at most) to disembark, get through customs, get my baggage and be on my way. I think finding your luggage and finding the way to the right shuttle or train station takes longer than going through customs. Good Luck!
Kelly

Sorry...To clarify, I was talking about CDG.

Just a suggestion - we flew into CDG last August; waited for over 90 minutes for our bags and then were told they were lost; a whole group of us had to fill out the paperwork to retrieve lost bags. On the way out of the luggage carousels, we spotted our bags on the 'wrong' belt. Got them and were through customs in no time flat....however, hubby had arrived a week ahead of us and had to wait on the other side of security while we waited and waited. UAL never called to give us an update on our 'lost' bags (we grabbed them without going back to the lady at the counter to tell her since there was a HGUE line with about 100 people in it to make claims. Word to the wise - check all carousels for your bags.

They always stack the employes in favor of the Air France flights so you can look forward to few delays if flying Air France. Of course all the exceptions (strikes, security , multiple flights at once) apply.

My experience this January was about 30 minutes........but then I only travel with a carry on.

There is a difference between Customs and Immigration.

Immigration.. you might have to wait a bit depending on how many flights have arived at the same time. If they were intraEU flights ..those passengers go thru a seperate line...non-Eu passport holders go thru another..so depending on how many people on the flights are Eu or non-EU makes a big diference. I don't think we've waited anywhere no matter the time of day more than 20 minutes or so.

Customs is usually a non-issue. Get in the Green or Nothing to declare lane...maybe 1 in 100 will be pulled out..or less... You just walk thru.

At least it kills time waiting for your luggage to appear!

Last trip into CDG..we landed, went thru I and C , got a taxi and pulled up at our hotel in the 6th in 1 hour 10 minutes! That was a record time!

In my case the Immigration line took so long that my luggage was waiting for me after I cleared Immigration.

amberkat,
Ditto to most all of the above. It depends, depends, depends on how many transatlantic flights arrive with yours and how (excruciatingly) slow the baggage handling is that day.
Our record: 45 min. from departing plane to getting onto Paris Shuttle (with stop at ATM) with no checked luggage (thus, no lost luggage....that's another story) and plenty of customs agents on duty.

Another tip in getting through customs quickly is to try to look as boringly "normal" as possible...not too wealthy/not too scruffy. I pity the folks who are "profiled." One time my DH decided not to shave because it was "vacaction" - with his 3 or 4 day beard stubble, he was asked quite a few more questions than I was.